Steven Johnson pleaded not guilty to the sexual charges against him. According to Steven and his mother, Owida, the St. Louis teen was Steven’s girlfriend and she was free to go as she pleased. They even claim that the teen left the house with them to attend family reunions. According to the Johnsons, this girl came back to the house on her own free will. However, the Johnsons don’t seem to have an explanation for the teen’s heinous accusations against them.

Is it fair to assume someone’s guilt before the trial takes place? The whole purpose of our legal system is to protect those from pre-judgement. Innocent until proven guilty, right? However, in this case I would say that it is very unlikely that Steven Johnson is innocent. The allegations made by this teenage girl are brutal and disturbing. Her claims unfortunately make more sense than the alternative provided by the Johnson family (Johnson’s $2 million bond validates my opinion.) There is no justice that can give back the last 3 years of this girls life, but locking Steven and Owida Johnson away forever would be a good start.